My First Palm Collaboration
I was recently accepted for a Palm collaboration with sunscreen brand MDSolarSciences! So I paid an access fee for the opportunity to try the Mineral Crème SPF 50 (this is not a sponsored post). Of course I wanted to share my thoughts about the sunscreen here with you. Please read on, and if you like what you read, I have a 25% off discount code for you (which I do not earn commission on)!
About MDSolarSciences
Dermatologist Dr. Robert J. Friedman developed MDSolarSciences; the brand is all about sunscreen that’s safer for humans, for animals, and for the planet. It’s super important to wear sunscreen daily to help prevent skin cancer, so finding a sunscreen that you actually like wearing is vital. And MDSolarSciences knows it.
MDSolarSciences is cruelty-free (and Leaping Bunny certified) and all of their products are reef safe! Which is very important because coral reefs are dying. My husband is a coral reef aquarium hobbyist, so this is an important issue for us. All MDSolarSciences are free of oxybenzone and octinoxate, two ingredients that scientists believe contribute to the bleaching of coral reefs. Reef bleaching is such an issue that Hawaii became the first state in the US to ban sunscreen containing these ingredients.
MDSolarSciences is also top rated with the Environmental Working Group, meaning the EWG has deemed its ingredients to be on the cleaner side. The products are paraben, fragrance, and gluten-free, and they contain a sustainable, EcoCert-certified form of zinc oxide. Which all sounds ideal to me!
Texture and Ingredients
I tried a sample packet of an MDSolarSciences product a few years back; while I remember really liking it, I don’t recall which specific product it was. So I was excited to gain access via this Palm collaboration to try a full sized (1.7 ounce) tube of the Mineral Crème SPF 50!
The Mineral Crème SPF 50 has a thick texture, as you can see below. It looks slightly tinted in the photo, but that’s just due to the bright sunlight. The sunscreen is really more of an off-white shade.
In addition to sun protection ingredients that reduce the risk of skin cancer as well as photo aging, the sunscreen contains antioxidants: Vitamin C, green tea, cranberry fruit, and pomegranate extracts. The sunscreen is non-comedogenic, oil-free, and water-resistant for up to 80 minutes. It’s also gentle enough to use on children six months and older.
Application and Wear
The Mineral Crème SPF 50 has a silky feel and applies smoothly. Seeing as how it’s a mineral sunscreen, it’s pretty thick and takes a bit of work to blend into your skin. The sunscreen does have a slight white cast, even on my fair skin (see below photo). So I’m not sure how well the product would blend into darker skin tones. If your skin is darker than mine but you wear makeup over sunscreen regularly, the white cast might not be an issue.
The sunscreen can be used as a makeup primer, which is a nice bonus. The Mineral Crème hasn’t pilled over my other skin care products or under foundation or tinted moisturizer. That’s a big thumbs up from me; pilling is an absolute dealbreaker in my book!
The things I love most about this sunscreen are its matte finish and pore blurring effect. I am here to tell you that the pore blurring is legit! Here’s a photo of me with the sunscreen only on the right side (your left) of my face:
I know it’s a little hard to see the pore blurring in photos, but I can tell you that in person, the effect is significant. I also love the matte finish. With other sunscreens I often have to powder down the shiny finish; that’s not necessary when I use this product.
I’ve been using this sunscreen daily for a couple of weeks now and it hasn’t irritated my skin or caused a breakout. One thing to note is that the sunscreen leaves a slippery finish on my face. It’s not an oily feeling, as the product doesn’t contain oil, and it’s not something I notice while going about my day unless I touch my face (which I don’t do often). So I wouldn’t call it a dealbreaker by any means. This sunscreen can be used on the body as well, but I have not tried it anywhere but my face and neck at this point.
Final Thoughts
Overall I’m quite impressed with the MDSolarSciences Mineral Crème SPF 50. I would say the biggest drawback is the slight white cast, but it’s not ghostly-looking enough for me to stop using the product. If you have a darker skin tone than mine, I’d recommend trying a sample of this product if possible before committing to a full size.
Let’s talk money for a second: A 1.7 ounce tube of the Mineral Crème SPF 50 costs $30, while 4 ounces costs $42. So it’s not cheap, but I think the benefits are worth it.
I’m liking the product enough that I want to try more from the brand! I’m actually about to order the Mineral Moisture Defense SPF 50. And I’m going to take advantage of the 25% off discount code that MDSolarSciences and Palm kindly provided me. Of course, you’re more than welcome to use my code as well for 25% off your order on MDSolarSciences.com. The discount code is SHERMAN25. Note: the code is good through October 31, 2019, and it’s not valid for bundle purchases. I’ll mention again that I do not get any commission or payment if you use my discount code.
Thank you so much to Palm and MDSolarSciences! I was thrilled to have access to this Palm collaboration and I’d happily collab with both companies again.
What’s your favorite reef safe sunscreen?
